In March 1864, Lincoln appointed Grant general-in-chief. Grant then followed this success by capturing Chattanooga and its important railroad depot, pushing Confederates back into Georgia. On July 4, 1863, Confederate troops surrendered to Grant after a two-month siege, even though many had considered the fort at Vicksburg impregnable. Grant then turned his attention to Vicksburg-its location on the banks of the Mississippi River made it a key city for moving troops and supplies. President Lincoln defended Grant by saying, "I can't spare this man, he fights." The casualties concerned some officials enough to call for Grant’s removal. A few months later, Grant secured a hard-fought victory at the Battle of Shiloh, one of the bloodiest battles in the Western Theater. When the Confederate commander asked for Grant’s terms, he replied, "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." The Confederates surrendered, and President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to major general of volunteers. In his new position, Grant captured Fort Henry and attacked Fort Donelson. By September 1861, Grant had instilled order and discipline within the unit and was rewarded with a promotion to brigadier general of the volunteer force. Ulysses was working in his father's leather store in Galena when Governor John Wood appointed him commander of an unruly volunteer regiment. Click here to learn more about the enslaved households of President Ulysses Grant.Īt the onset of the Civil War, the Grants were living in Illinois after the family suffered more financial setbacks in Missouri. Julia, however, had no qualms about using enslaved labor within her household and she considered those owned by her father Frederick Dent as her own. According to the signed manumission, Jones was “purchased by me of Frederick Dent.” Jones is the only known enslaved individual who was owned by Grant-though his decision to free William rather than sell him, especially as he struggled financially, suggests that Grant had personal discomfort with slave ownership. While there are no known documents or letters related to a bill of sale, Grant did emancipate a man named William Jones in 1859. Grant became a plantation manager, overseeing the enslaved and free laborers while working alongside them. Julia, Ulysses, and their children moved back to her father’s plantation, White Haven, in Missouri. In 1848, they married and would go on to raise four children together.Īfter the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Grant fought under General Zachary Taylor before resigning from the military in 1854. During the visit, Grant met Fred’s sister, Julia, and fell in love with her. After graduating in the middle of his class, Grant was stationed in Missouri where he visited with his former classmate and friend, Fred Dent. ![]() Grant received an education from several private schools and later attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. ![]() Grant’s father, Jesse, was a tanner and an abolitionist.
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